5 Reasons Not to Go Paperless

Businesses and even households have been striving for the paperless lifestyle for years. While the idea of going digital might sound good on paper, the reality is that even in a digital age we still need paper! While paying your bills and storing your photos online have become extremely popular, even I do these myself, there are so many reasons why you should still stick with paper! Here are five reasons why I choose not to go paperless.

PAPER GETS THE JOB DONE

If you are one of those people, who can create your meal plan, daily to-do list, and keep track of your calendar all without paper, more power to you. The truth is that when it comes to keeping track of information and helping you to remember things, paper will always be the more practical choice. Paper will never run out of batteries or delete your file without you asking. Paper will never need an upgrade or not open unexpectedly. Paper gets the job done!

Having my weekly meal plan printed out on the fridge not only helps me find out what I’m making for dinner with a quick glance but also allows me to take it with me to the grocery store if I need to! Before I go to bed each night, I use my daily to-do list to make a list of everything I need to get done the next day. The simple act of writing these tasks down on paper helps me to remember it better and ensures that I’ll do it.

PHYSICAL CALENDARS HELP YOU STAY ON SCHEDULE

While I do keep our family calendar on my iPhone so that my husband and teens can access it, I also keep my favorite paper planner on my desk. Having a printed out calendar can be used in so many ways! I can keep track of my kid’s activities, my meetings, travel dates, and so much more!

It may be that you don’t want to break away from your calendar on your phone. I totally understand. At least having a paper to-do list will help you accomplish more each and every day. A few of my favorites are the Weekly Flip To Do List and the Weekly Planner Sheet.

Creating a written to-do list on paper typically allows me to get everything done on my list daily. Checking it multiple times a day keeps me focus and satisfied when I can check an item off the list.

IT MAKES YOUR GOALS MORE REAL

When you are trying to reach a goal, one of the most stressful parts of goal setting can be staying on track. Having a printable worksheet, I can reference throughout the year sets these goals in stone. I can break them down into smaller chunks by month, I can use it to motivate me throughout the year, and I can reference it whenever I need to. Using my free printable Goal Setting Mini-Guide will not only help you reach those big goals, but you are going to accomplish more in the process.

YOU CAN’T HIDE FROM YOUR BILLS

Paying bills online is a great way to get things done faster, but even though I pay online, I still have my bills sent to me in the mail. Sure this might seem like a waste of paper, but it keeps me from missing expenses throughout the month. Subscription sites such as Netflix or Hulu usually don’t send you a paper bill. When these expenses autopay, it can sometimes make you forget about them all together. Having paper bills come to your mailbox will not only make sure you never miss a bill, but also that you are keeping track of them. I like to use my bill tracker to make sure I never miss a payment.

GROCERY LISTS KEEP YOU FROM OVERSPENDING

Have you ever made a list of all the things you needed, only to forget it when you go to the store? You don’t want to turn back home, so you figure you can do it without the list. Now and then you might get lucky and remember everything if the list was short. However, most of the time you end up buying more than you need, or not enough! This is the exact reason I make a paper grocery list before every trip to the store.

While some of you may enjoy not having the paper clutter in your home, it does come with a few drawbacks. Not having physical pieces of paper can make you more forgetful and make it difficult to stay on top of your to-do list as well as projects around your home. These five reasons are just a few of the many reasons I don’t go paperless and stay productive.